PINEHURST, N.C. – Tulane etched its name as the fifth different team champion in conference history by capturing the 2022 American Women’s Golf Championship on Tuesday afternoon at Pinehurst No. 6. The Green Wave posted a final score of 892 (308-289-295) and erased a 10-shot deficit entering the third round to win by five strokes.
 
SMU’s Kennedy Pedigo became the first Mustang since 2014 to hoist the individual hardware at the American Championship, with rounds of 72-72-75 to win the solo draw by one shot at 3-over-par 219. Pedigo and runner-up Tunrada Piddon from UCF (72-69-79-220, +4) were the only two players in the field with multiple rounds at par or better during the event.
 
The average score at the conclusion of the 54-hole tournament was 77.30 on the par-72, 6,290-yard layout of Pinehurst No. 6. Tulane advanced seven spots on the leaderboard in the final 36 holes by logging the top team scores of both round two and round three.
 
The Green Wave were led in Tuesday’s final round by Carlota Palacios and Matilde Innocenti, whose matching scores of 1-over-par 73 paced the lineup. Despite her third round not counting toward the day three team total, Sandra Vazquez captured solo third place with a 221 (77-67-77) final score. Daozeng Liu tied for fourth place overall with rounds of 75-73-74=222 and Carla Bernat shared seventh place with a three-day effort of 74-75-75-224.
 
Houston was the solo runner-up after entering the final round as the 36-hole leader. The Cougars posted 292-295-310 to finish at 897. Individually for Houston, Nicole Abelar shared fourth place with a score of 222 (73-71-78) and Maria Jose Jimenez tied for seventh place at 224 (72-77-75).
 
UCF captured third place with a team three-day score of 899 (297-296-306). Along with runner-up Piddon, Jess Baker was the next Knight on the leaderboard tied for 12th place after rounds of 77-74-74=225.
 
On the strength of Pedigo’s individual win, SMU finished in solo fourth place with a team total of 904 (297-298-309). Serena Shah added a top-10 showing by tying for seventh place with rounds of 75-71-78=224.
 
South Florida closed the tournament as the solo fifth place team with a score of 905 (299-305-301). Melanie Green led the way once more for the Bulls in sixth place after firing a three-round total of 223 (75-73-75).
 
Other individual players to finish in the tournament top 10 were Tulsa’s Sydney Seigel (76-75-73) and East Carolina’s Kathryn Carson (73-73-78), who were each part of the tie for seventh place at 224.
 
2022 American Women’s Golf Championship
 
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Tulane - 892 (308-289-295, +28)
2. Houston - 897 (292-295-310, +33)
3. UCF - 899 (297-296-306, +35)
4. SMU - 904 (297-298-309, +40)
5. South Florida - 905 (299-305-301, +41)                  
6. Memphis - 913 (302-300-311, +49)
7. Tulsa - 914 (307-295-312, +50)
8. East Carolina - 922 (304-311-307, +58)
9. Wichita State - 935 (318-305-312, +71)
10. Cincinnati - 943 (317-304-322, +79)
 
TOP-10 INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
1. Kennedy Pedigo, SMU - 219 (72-72-75, +3)
2. Tunrada Piddon, UCF - 220 (72-69-79, +4)
3. Sandra Vazquez, Tulane - 221 (77-67-77, +5)
T4. Daozeng Liu, Tulane - 222 (75-73-74, +6)
T4. Nicole Abelar, Houston - 222 (73-71-78, +6)
6. Melanie Green, South Florida - 223 (75-73-75, +7)
T7. Sydney Seigel, Tulsa - 224 (76-75-73, +8)
T7. Carla Bernat, Tulane - 224 (74-75-75, +8)
T7. Maria Jose Martinez, Houston - 224 (72-77-75, +8)
T7. Serena Shah, SMU - 224 (75-71-78, +8)
T7. Kathryn Carson, East Carolina - 224 (73-73-78, +8)